Don Cooper

Business software systems can be quite generic as they come “out of the box” but can also be adapted and applied in any business setting, making it not a matter of “if” but “how” an ERP (enterprise resource planning) or business software system is used. ERPs are valuable systems in any walk of business life. Healthcare is an excellent example of how a business system works for an organization with vastly different requirements within the same organization.

ERP in a healthcare setting

As with any specialty business, healthcare organizations have their own particulars when it comes to ERP functionality. To that end, developers have stepped forward. Specialty ERP systems and industry specific add-ons are available to administrators and other medical and hospital personnel in doing their jobs and best serving their customers aka patients.

Few commercial enterprises (and for the sake of discussion, we are viewing healthcare in that way) operate with the level of complexity and telescopic accountability as do healthcare individuals and organizations. Interface matters and in healthcare settings possibly more than in any other type of enterprise. The ease and efficiency with which one piece of software can speak to the one of the greatest advantages healthcare has to gain from an ERP system.

The ERP is used as a conduit through which stored information travels. As a result, accuracy in transferring vital information is much improved. Other departments, patients and all important insurance companies receive more precise data on a timely basis. Healthcare saves and improves the quality of lives but healthcare facilities also operate as businesses.

In order to optimize the investment in professional staff, the amount of time they spend on administrative (though revenue generating) tasks should be kept to a minimum. Any way that those mundane tasks such as basic invoicing can be automated is revenue realized.

When a patient comes in, their patient record and individual data file is begun. The information from an admission or screening form is entered directly into the healthcare organization’s database and can be easily cross-referenced as need be. ERP for hospitals and other healthcare providers is available as a specialty ERP package. While it is possible to adapt more generalized systems like Oracle and SAP to settings such as these, much customization is often called for and specialization add-ons or plug-in tools frequently must be purchased to meet functionality requirements.

Interfaces that link different systems while preserving confidentiality are also a common requirement in order to transfer data from one department or location to another. As information is gained about a patient’s condition, individual details are entered and stored in one place. So the records of a patient who goes to another department are easily available. Knowing which medications a patient is on or any allergies they might have is often the difference between life, death and recovery.

ERP systems in healthcare are valuable on many different levels, not the least of which from a business standpoint is risk mitigation. Minimizing the risk of human error is always a good thing and having an ERP system in place can assist the healthcare professional in getting accurate patient information on a timely basis, reducing both the number of lawsuits and malpractice insurance premiums.

ERP (enterprise resource planning) software represents a serious commitment for any business organization. Instituting the use of an integrated business software solution is a benchmark that says that a company whose mission centers on growth as a major goal for its immediate and long term future. When a company takes that step of implementing the use of an ERP, it is a signal that the organization is serious and ready to take itself to the next level.

Good Money after Bad?

What good is any ERP without sound business practices?

That said, the ERP will only prove a great investment if the business practices that it supports are sound and efficient. When an organization is willing to make this major move in company infrastructure, a great opportunity is presented for procedure assessment in tandem with the process used to select the actual software package to be implemented.

Lean manufacturing and other Six Sigma protocols are excellent initiatives to get started when introducing or changing ERP software systems. This is the time to study and evaluate and to take stock of the way things get done within an organization. Updating and improving business practices with an eye toward discovering, developing and achieving best practices throughout, is as important to the bottom line as any ERP software package.

Teams tasked with examining and improving business practices should always be in place but never is it more important than when new ERP software is being adopted and it is a great time to take advantage of the implementation process by introducing new procedures designed to work with the new business system. Company culture influences how well staff will adapt and adopt new procedures along with the new business system.

Adaptability is essential to the success of today’s business ventures. The rate at which the market and marketing models transform is astounding. Development cycles once lasting years can now be accomplished in a matter of weeks. Responsiveness to change is often the quality that wins the business day. Responsiveness and innovation in order to meet market demands as they continue to evolve at break neck speed.

Leaping to mind is the iconic company, Apple. Steve Jobs, once the heart beat of the organization, built that company on platform of metamorphosis. The business model that is based on change and innovation has also worked to ensure the overall success of the company world-wide. Jobs introduced products before the public even knew that they wanted them and is held up as the prime example of what all business hopes one day to be.

In order to meet the fast-paced demand of a global market, thanks in no small part to the advent and continued development of the Internet, business practices and forward thinking personnel must be ready to respond to fluctuations in supply and demand as they happen. ERP is the tool that will get and keep a company there as long as the business practices with which it is associated do too. With best business practices firmly in place, cutting edge ERP business tools are a wise investment helping business to meet the changing demands of its customer base in a timely manner.

Enterprise resource planning or ERP is a business software system used to make electronic transactions and serve as the means by which information is shared within an organization. It is intended to make work easier, more efficient and increase production. ERP is, therefore, the workforce of any business organization.

Good Money after Bad?

If ERP was an animal, what animal would it be?

The family farm of the past is excellent imagery in considering how ERP relates to a business. In taking a look at that farm and determining the viability of it as a profit making enterprise, climate, location and soil quality figure prominently into any appraisal of that farm. Projected crop yields have a little bit of something to do with things, as do the barn, the tractor, and the livestock and so on.

The workhorse has a strong back and is a creature that can do it all. Plow the fields when the tractor breaks, pump the water when the well runs dry and get the farmer into town when the pick-up truck will not turn over. Even when everything is working right, the work horse is still there to haul the hay or make a delivery; freeing the tractor for more labor intensive tasks. The horse is there all the time. It is reliable and consistent and increases productivity exponentially every single day making that horse one of the farm’s most valuable assets.

The ERP is the workhorse of business in the technological sense. It is a tool for taking care of many tasks that once kept the business farmer from the most important tasks. Customer service, process improvement and cost efficiency translate into real growth in of a company’s bottom line. Best practices are the stuff of which healthy profits are made and ERP frees the strategist to devote a larger chunk of the day to the customer, to continuous improvement and to saving on operating costs to maximize profit.

An ERP is tool for marshalling data into one place and from that data, customer relationship management, forecasting and improved transactions and discrepancy management. It’s so much better when all the components are in one place from which trends and patterns can be examined in a quantitative manner. Another thing that the ERP is required to do quite often is to interact with the other creatures that occupy the same barn. This horse can talk to a cow by virtue of a universal translator also known as an interface. The horse would be useless if it was completely incompatible and an ERP that cannot be linked to other systems would not work.

Finally, this horse has to know how to travel on a paved road though it is not always required to do so. As time goes by, more streets are paved and traffic increases so the horse or ERP system must be adaptable enough not to outlive its usefulness. ERPs typically send and receive data via electronic pavement, i.e. The Internet. More and more payments are made via ACH (automated clearing house) and orders placed through EDI (electronic data exchange). The best horse and the best farm is the one that can do it all.

Most companies in all manufacturing sectors make an effort to be customer centric. Aerospace and defense manufacturers have to really walk that walk, however. A&D manufacturers are continually being monitored for delivery performance, cost containment, and quality standards by their customers. To maintain your status as a premier A&D supplier, it makes sense to consider an ERP software system designed specifically for A&D manufacturers. Appropriately, such a system will include a suite of functionality designed to put the demands of your customer first. Embedded Customer Relationship Management (CRM) functionality provides complete workflow for each estimate, including customer sign-off, at each critical stage from initial design through estimate. Additionally, with embedded Demand Management and full Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) collaboration, customer demands can be implemented in real-time.

Aerospace and Defense Contractors can soar with ERP (Part 1)

ERP systems for A&D organizations include Project Management a comprehensive solution for program managers who plan and execute simple or complex projects that can require intricate multilevel phases as well as strict costing and complex billing methods. You can’t afford to let profit margins can get lost in the details. Managing simple to multilevel projects and the details required for optimum visibility, profitability, and on-time delivery can be difficult, especially if multiple systems are deployed for defining, estimating, procuring, reporting of plant labor, and in-process status.

ERP for A&D provides embedded project management to handle the complete unique quote to cash cycle that A&D companies require. Project management starts with the initial definition of work breakdown structures (WBS), single and multiple levels, including phases, tasks, and budgets. Many systems include bidirectional integration with Microsoft Office Project to give program managers an additional tool to use to easily manipulate the schedule and simplify the planning of any project. Project templates and copy capability is another method to simplify the often difficult task of project definitions.

The WBS in an ERP system can fully support the proposal and estimating process, which gives estimators a complete picture of the project or program, eliminating costly mistakes in the proposal and quote. With multilevel indented bill of material and routing functionality, complex assemblies can be estimated in a single entity, reducing costly redundancies and inefficiencies. Additionally, as a result of comprehensive cost controls that factor labor, material, burden, overhead, and subcontracting, estimates are driven from accurate costing measures for peace of mind in the validity of the final estimate.

Once the project moves from the proposal to contract stage, project milestones, production jobs, procurement, revenue recognition, and invoicing are fully supported. Complete visibility of costs at each level of the WBS and rolled up costs are easily accessible all the way up through the project structure. For added project insight cross-project analysis of key elements such as a material class, burden, or labor type is standard. At all times, throughout the whole process, embedded project analysis and reporting combined with business process management provides accurate and up-to-date status information and meaningful alerts. Project manufacturing capabilities cover the operations side of the business from materials planning, procurement, and manufacturing to customer delivery.

The Advantages of Having Multiple or Single ERP Manufacturing Software Solutions Which can be Applied Simultaneously for both Discrete Manufacturing as Well as Process Manufacturing Operations (Part I): Bridging the Common Interests of Manufacturers, Wholesale Distributors, and Retailers Across Multiple Fields of Industrial Activity and Diversifying into Different Industrial Processes .

The Advantages of Having Multiple or Single ERP Manufacturing Software Solutions (Part I)

Another advantageous feature of this dual manufacturing and distribution strategy which would greatly simplify the process for a vendor running the simultaneous manufacture of retail and wholesale products for delivery to separate buyer audiences, is the integration into one single ERP manufacturing software solution of multiple modules and add-ons intended to be applied, simultaneously, for both wholesale and retail oriented manufacturing purposes.

How Integrating Retail and Wholesale Manufacturing/ Distribution Functions into One Single ERP Manufacturing Software Solution Promotes Faster Inter-Departmental Cooperation and Maximizes Production Levels as Well as Company Performance .

This erp system would promote even faster inter-departmental interaction and exchange of ideas, heightened communication among all employees, augmenting connectivity as well as bringing mutual advantages to the business interests of retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers from any industrial sector. Additionally, such a dual system of retail and wholesale manufacturing/distribution, effected through the multiple applications of one single ERP manufacturing software, would not require having to switch processes from one type to the other, but it would be done instantly without interfering with the functional aspect or cause any interruptions in the supply chain and assembly operation of the other process.

Ultimately, manufacturers can diversify to operate at the same time in both discrete as well as process manufacturing through the multiple applications of appropriately customized ERP manufacturing software solutions with innovative applications which enable to switch matériel and resource/ manpower / work effort allocation to re-orient the unified functions of all company departments towards both genres of manufacturing and/ or distribution. Most importantly, as in the case of vendors implementing multi- purpose functions of ERP manufacturing software systems for both wholesale and retail distribution to two respective clienteles or customer bases, this level of diversification provided by such ERP manufacturing software solutions have the natural advantage of doubling the manufacturers’ customer audience and business partners, increasing its power to attract new buyers from the most varied business sectors involved in E-commerce and global business venture operations across multiple industries.

In a world where everything is run electronically through Internet technology, enterprise resource planning systems - which are based on on- line interaction and merge computer software with Internet applications - go hand in hand with Internet technology, information and telecommunications technology. So, every industry can benefit from these innumerable and innovative strategies which can be discovered through the use of multi functional and multi- purpose ERP manufacturing software solutions; especially those with a high number of applications which exhibit at high level of customization - and thereby diversification - potential to enable vendors (as in the case of those manufacturers engaged in the simultaneous production and/ or distribution of both wholesale and retail products) to switch from one industrial process to another, or employ both processes at the same time for design and delivery to multiple audiences and clienteles around the globe.

The Advantages of Having Multiple or Single ERP Manufacturing Software Solutions Which can be Employed Simultaneously for Both Discrete Manufacturing as Well as Process Manufacturing Operations (Part II)- The Ability of Vendors to Forecast Business Opportunities and Global Market Expansion for Customers Based on An analysis of their Organizational Infrastructure, M.O., and Through Careful Strategic Planning .

The Advantages of Having Multiple or Single ERP Manufacturing Software Solutions (Part II)

This dual system based on integrating the operations of two separate manufacturing industrial sectors also allows for greater control of all company operations. Such procedures range from the deployment of market strategies to business forecasting of potentially profitable new target markets; the improved ability to determine a manufacturer’s positive or negative market impact prior to penetration; the forecasting of potential business opportunities across various business sectors and local markets; the ability to anticipate variations in customer preference and determining as well as responding promptly to customer demand for new additional features in service or product quality.

Forecasting Ability Depends on Careful Systematic Planning to Anticipate Future Steps of Action and Prevent Flaws in the erp System or Mishaps Which May Have long-Term Consequences for a Customer’s Business Ventures.

By analyzing their customer’s company make up, its organizational infrastructure, market performance, level of inter-connectivity and especially the level of communication among all departments; level of product and service quality and history of customer allegiance and satisfaction -including their customer’s level of Internet proficiency and technical skill and level of compatibility with the standard server support platforms of the industry– a vendor will be able to provide the best customized ERP manufacturing software solution for their buyers that will give them a head start and a competitive edge in the international marketplace.

Another major advantage is that by this method a vendor of ERP manufacturing software systems will be able to formulate, plan and execute way in advance for their customer, the future steps to be taken in successive stages in order to prevent any mishaps or undesirable business interruptions which may affect their customer’s business and their relations with partners and investors. All of this is made possible thanks to the element of forecasting, which is a major characteristic inherent in the applications of multi- functional ERP manufacturing software systems. Another invaluable asset gained by the use of ERP manufacturing software systems with high customization and diversification potential - such as Microsoft Dynamics AX (formerly known as Axapta) -is the identification and analysis of point-of-sale data across multiple industries dealing with either discrete or process manufactured products, where the vendor has acquired and established some adequate degree of market presence.

Highly functional ERP manufacturing software applications ensure that this is made possible by enhancing employee performance, communication and exchange of ideas through mutual shared collaboration; ultimately maximizing overall productivity and delivery levels by connecting shop floor and warehouse personnel to run multiple assembly lines in the same facilities: those assembly lines employed for manufacturing goods that are intended for delivery at retail price to a select audience of regular buyers and preferred customers, and those intended for wholesale distribution in large orders. The main benefit of this strategy of course, is that it minimizes ERP cost levels for the manufacturer.

The Advantages of Having Multiple or Single ERP Manufacturing Software Solutions Which can be Employed Simultaneously for Both Discrete Manufacturing as Well as Process Manufacturing Operations (Part III)- The Importance of Having an Appropriate ERP Manufacturing Software To Run Multiple Assembly Lines Housed in the Same Facilities for The Simultaneous Manufacture/ Distribution of Different Product genres and/ or Industrial Processes.

The Advantages of Having Multiple or Single ERP Manufacturing Software Solutions (Part III)

By planning and executing in stages the various steps to be taken for their customer, a vendor or provider can anticipate and also formulate the right marketing strategies for future product promotion and for enhancing their customer’s visibility and market presence, also reducing time constraints and ERP costs for the customer, enabling them to keep up with competitors and promote their business growth. Those manufacturers who have realized the full potential of specific ERP manufacturing software which have integrated solutions aimed at operating multiple assembly lines for the dual production of Discrete goods and Process products – including other multiple erp applications oriented towards the production of both retail and wholesale products, can bring immense benefits to their customers.

They introduce their customer – through proper training into how to run all the application of their ERP manufacturing software that are needed for this effort - to a wider, world- wide audience of customers and users from different industries and business interests which may be potentially interested in purchasing their products and services. The fact that multiple assembly lines directed to the manufacture of retail and wholesale goods for delivery to separate customer audiences can be housed in the same warehouse facilities, also diminishes the costs associated with the allocation of separate resources, material, machinery equipment, components or the burden of shifting locations.

The same is true for those manufacturers implementing ERP Manufacturing software solutions for both Discrete and Process manufacturing purposes; the only issue in their case would be housing assembly facilities for Discrete products (i.e. physical consumer goods) and chemical/processing, refining laboratories and factory lines for Process manufacturing in the same shop floor/warehouse locations.

The Difficulties of Housing Discrete and Process Manufacturing Facilities in the Same Shop Floor and Warehouse Locations The impracticability of reconciling the production of Process goods (which include Petrol refining, plastic and paper manufacturing, and so on) with conventional, physical consumer products lies in the fact that facilities to produce the former must be allocated in those areas where such natural resources are already available (preferably in large quantities) - in the process, possibly preventing the development of inhumane working conditions and sweatshops, like those set up by powerful multinationals in foreign countries to reduce costs and pay miserly wages while exploiting the local population, its national economy, land and natural resources. An obvious solution to this problem, for vendors interested in the manufacture of both Discrete and Process goods through the implementation of ERP manufacturing software solutions with the appropriate applications, would be to establish, firstly, Discrete manufacturing facilities for a particular physical product, in those locations that the company has already researched and found to be potential avenues of material resources for developing/ refining a process product which it has already decided to focus on manufacturing.

Wherever you are in Alabama, Birmingham and Huntsville or Mobile, you are bound to run into enterprise resource planning ERP software Alabama. This software system is in great demand here because of its ability to cover so much ground. It’s not packaged software, it is a software system. This State is putting it to use in a number of areas, including education, health care, aerospace, banking, manufacturing and steel production. Processing business tasks efficiently, today, means working with software that can do more. That’s what you get with ERP. It’s a software system that includes tools, is integrated and automated, as well. Some refer to it as automatic software, or software on steroids. Call it what you will, but this is the software system of choice for a great deal of organizations in this southern State. One of the reasons for that is its availability online. Enterprise software was something only big rich corporations could afford to implement, in the past. It’s very expensive to install software, servers and storage on-site, at the place of business.

ERP Software Alabama is in the heart of Dixie

Small and midsized businesses could not afford the price tag of on-site installation and were for the most part left working with packaged software that was limited and could not communicate. Web-based ERP has changed that. This software system is now available on demand, online, on a 24 hour basis. Now everyone has access to ERP. Even better, there is no need to purchase the software; you can get access on a subscription basis. You pay for the number of users you wish to hook up and for the amount of time they are online. It’s a fair deal and many organizations are taking advantage of it. With the erp system in place your business will have all of the software it needs as well as a set of tools for diagnosis and management intelligence. And remember, the platform you are working on is one that is integrated, so that the software works in sync with an automatic twist.

ERP software Alabama has made it easier for businesses to share, collaborate on and communicate information across boundaries. This is a teamwork software system that helps employees to work smarter. You can work from an enterprise dashboard that updates all information and data in real-time, so that you are always up to date on what is taking place anywhere within the organization. You can also apply application modules for contacts with partners, suppliers and customers. This software system keeps everyone wiser about what is going on wherever it is happening. Requested information can be obtained through the dashboard and shared throughout the enterprise. And the software continues to grow as new mobile applications and uses come to light. A small creative business in any industry could be made to look very good with this system because it is all-inclusive and distributed. It can make your business appear to be larger than it actually is.

A lot of businesses in Alabama are discovering that very fact. All it takes to get started is a demo.

Peoplesoft has a history that goes back to 1987 when founders Dave Duffield and Ken Morris established the software company and developed its first application for human resources. A lot has happened since then. Oracle purchased the software company in 1997 after Peoplesoft had overtaken it in the enterprise resource planning (ERP) marketplace. Oracle has a record of acquiring software vendors that bests them, by buying them out. In this article we will do a Peoplesoft Review and see what has been happening with the peoplesoft software line. This software vendor enjoyed success in the early days of ERP and was a market leader before it was acquired by Oracle. Peoplesoft had an integrated package of software applications that were appealing to the business community. These included applications for customer relationship management, financials and human resources. These were applications that could work across the enterprise interacting with each other to process business tasks. They were applauded for being efficient and expediting the process of business administration. The design of the client-server application offers great flexibility and provides user with ease of use. This is software that offered information that was centralized and stored in mainframes, long before other software vendors were doing so.

Interesting enough, Peoplesoft was a pioneer in providing efficient software solutions for human resources. It was also the erp software company that introduced the Pure Internet Architecture way back in 2000. This was an application that would not include code on the client server and would thus enable what was called “real-time enterprise.” It would allow business staff to make interlinking connections across the enterprise without any go-betweens. And as is part of the idea of enterprise resource planning, staff could make seamless connections both internally as well as externally. This provided greater productivity and efficiency at a much lower cost. This gives you some clue as to how far ahead of others Peoplesoft was in what would be considered now, the old days. It also speaks to the fact that it was at one time, the second largest vendor of enterprise resource planning software in the world.

This Peoplesoft Review reminds us of how far ERP has come over the years. The software vendor was interested in building erp applications that could adapt to the needs of an enterprise with flexible applications that would link business processes. The appeal to Oracle was that Peoplesoft was keen on designing enterprise platforms that were industry-specific, thus extending its reach into health care firms, financial services, manufacturing, retail and consumer goods, as well as public sector administration. The idea was a good one and so much so that it had over 12,000 organizations, internationally, at one time utilizing these enterprise software platforms- and these groups represented both the public and private sectors. Oracle has been able to extend these software platforms and merge them with its own over the years. As a result, it has seen its business and market share increase tremendously.

A peoplesoft review is perhaps necessary in order to remind folks just how innovative this software vendor was in the early days of ERP.

Now a part of Oracle, JD Edwards EnterpriseOne software is produced for the enterprise resource planning marketplace. The platform for this software is supports a single information front and is geared towards any type of business. This is a value-added product with one common database which is integrated with a number of applications at low total cost. The ERP applications on this platform provide diverse and varied support for a number of enterprise solutions. The software has been popular with businesses in manufacturing, distribution, service, construction and product management. the design of this enterprise system is for rapid deployment and ease of use. It has an Internet architecture and works well for small and midsized companies. The software has been strengthened by Oracle support tools that have been added to the system. The human capital management tools included means that resources are optimized and costs are minimized. The platform can be easily updated with applications as required, and the process of migration is handled efficiently. This software system also benefits from Oracle’s global support system which boosts its service level capabilities, by monitoring it and providing information and analysis of system performance.

Checking out JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Software

This software system also includes development tools that make it easy to execute new applications onto the platform that require only minimum coding. Integrated Information management software can also be extended throughout all units of the business, which makes it easy to manage the flow of information and data throughout the enterprise. The comprehensive nature of the system means that aggregated information and data flowing to distribution, manufacturing, sales or marketing, is easily accessible to all relevant staff with real-time visibility. EnterpriseOne gets its name for its ability to efficiently manage the flow of information and data throughout the enterprise and can also extend its reach externally, as well.

Both management and staff get significant support from JD Edwards EnterpriseOne software, as the system boosts productivity and helps greatly with the monitoring of initiatives and objectives. The transformation of information and data can also be accomplished by applying an integrated solution for portfolios of applications for all units within a company. This makes it easy for any area of the business to access the information they need when they need it, without going through different channels to obtain it.

The financials of this system include accounts payable and accounts payable, along with efficient cash management. Some of the features include multiple voucher entry options, workflow-driven payment processing, voucher invoice logging and multi-national functionality for handling multi-currencies and the management of international taxes. Advanced cost accounting is also included to help analyze profitability and to track revenue and costs. There are also tools for making analysis on a variety of assumptions. An asset lifecycle application helps to manage assets and get greater value from them. These include equipment, plants and facilities and the management of planning and budgeting.

An expense management application for automating the expense reporting process. Fixed asset accounting tracks assets that relate to the needs of finance and reporting and aids in analysis and report making. Finally, the general ledger integrates all transaction information and data and provides real-time reporting to the business.

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